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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26177086">Call It Fate Or Serendipity, Either Way It's The Beginning Of Us</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/jungle_ride/pseuds/jungle_ride'>jungle_ride</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Once Upon a Time (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, First Meetings, Teen Baelfire | Neal Cassidy, Teen Emma Swan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:21:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,970</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26177086</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/jungle_ride/pseuds/jungle_ride</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Neal Cassidy meets Emma Swan at the tender age of 15, it isn’t so much love at first sight as it is love at first steal..or rather aborted steal. </p>
<p>AU where Neal and Emma met at an alternate point in canon/under different circumstances. I made Emma &amp; Neal the same ageish in order to make this scenario work (so Neal's been de-aged by a few years) because that's what AU's are for.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Baelfire | Neal Cassidy/Emma Swan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe Exchange 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Call It Fate Or Serendipity, Either Way It's The Beginning Of Us</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ultra/gifts">Ultra</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Neal Cassidy meets Emma Swan at the tender age of 15, it isn’t so much love at first sight as it is love at first steal..or rather aborted steal. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The day had begun like any other ordinary day. The sun had risen, streaming in through the window and waking Neal up. Neal had then scrambled out of bed, still half asleep and quickly made his way to the bathroom. Sharing a house with a bunch of teenagers, two girls and two boys, with one solitary bathroom had long since taught Neal that timing was everything. Neal had been living with this foster family for a while now and in all the places Neal has had to slum it over the years, living with the Birch’s was by far the best. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once Neal had finished, or rather once the banging had started on the bathroom door accompanied by the cries of “hurry up Cassidy”, Neal had gotten dressed, grabbed breakfast and begun another mundane day at a mundane high school. The day had passed without any significance and so when Neal had popped into the local convenience store on his way back to the Birch’s house, he hadn’t expected for his life to suddenly and abruptly change. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He notices her straight away, a girl around about the same age as him, standing in the middle of the aisle looking at a stand with a bunch of sunglasses on. Her blonde hair is pulled back into a ponytail, denim jacket hanging against her frame, over the red plaid dress she’s wearing that she’s matched with a pair of black leggings and boots. She’s absolutely beautiful, but what really grabs Neal’s attention isn't so much her appearance but the glint in her eyes. Neal, being the wayward boy that he is, knows that look all too well. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The girl shifts from one foot to the other, her eyes glancing surreptitiously around her as she slowly spins the moving stand, as if she was looking at all the options. She moves her body, a little so her back is towards the camera in the corner, blocking the view and Neal feels his lips start to curl up as he watches her fingers twitch, he can practically feel the anticipation bubbling inside her. He also knows however that she’s about to get caught. Neal Cassidy’s not sure he would ever call himself a gentleman, there might be a little too much darkness in his shadow for that title, but there is always honor amongst thieves. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Neal whispers over her shoulder. The girl practically jumps out of her skin, head whipping around to look at the mystery boy who has just startled her.  Neal tilts his head and grins back at her as their eyes make contact. Her eyes are an array of green and blue tones, hints of yellow flecks around the edges and honestly Neal can already feel himself falling into them. A deep curiosity and desire to study them until he can pinpoint all those tones perfectly.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What. I wasn’t doing anything.” She gasps, eyes narrowing and hands immediately dropping to her sides. Neal grin turns sly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure you weren’t.” He says with a wink, causing the girl to narrow her eyes and purse her lips tightly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look I don’t know you you think you are…” The girl begins, arms crossing over her chest, her feathers clearly ruffled by Neal’s presence and honestly that just eggs Neal on, his stomach filling with heat and amusement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well I’ll tell you who I’m not, I’m not the one who was about to get caught shopping lifting until you know I saved you.” He smirks, and his chest is bursting now with that giddy joy that creeps up with any good teasing exchange, Neal hasn’t felt that in years and never quite like this.   </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I would have been fine.” The girl huffs, rolling her eyes as if she was extremely irritated by him and couldn’t wait for him to leave, but the angle of her body said otherwise.  She was just as curious about him as he was about her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Actually you wouldn’t. There are cameras everywhere.” Neal explains and inclines his head to the hidden red blinking light in the opposite corner that the girl had failed to spot in her initial surveillance. The girl follows his gaze, her eyes squinting for a few moments before she finally spots it and her mouth falls open a little. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How the hell did you know that was there?” She says, a mixture of surprise and curiosity and really that’s not surprising because unless you knew the cameras were there, they were nearly impossible to spot. Neal only knew about them because, well because he’s the reason Mr Shepard put them up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Guess I’ve just got a good eye or something.”  He says flirtatiously in what he hopes is charming, by the way the girl presses her lips together in an attempt to suppress a smile, Neal thinks he might have succeeded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmmm, or something.” She hums suspiciously, taking the opportunity to look him up and down. Neal, suddenly self conscious about his somewhat disheveled appearance, his hair was a little messy and his dark green hoodie had seen better days, suddenly sticks his hand out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m Neal by the way. Neal Cassidy.” The girl looks at his outstretched hand for a second, as if internally debating whether or not to take it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Emma. Emma Swan.” She says placing her hand in his and shaking it. Neal’s not sure if Emma feels the same little jolt of electricity that runs through him as their skin finally touches but Neal certainly does and it’s enough to make him wonder about magic in this world.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d come here to get away from it but maybe it existed here after all. That thought alone should have him breaking out in a sweat and running from the hills, far away from her, but he doesn't. If this girl was magic, then somehow she seemed like the kind of magic Neal could use, that he might love.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cool name.” He says, pulling himself from his own thoughts and giving her hand a little squeeze before he releases it. Emma, who hadn’t taken her eyes from him during their exchange, looks a little lost from the sudden loss of contact, leading Neal to believe she might have been as affected as him after all. Emma’s about to say something in reply when a woman dressed in a professional skirt and jacket combo comes around the corner and interrupts them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah Emma  there you are,” The woman says, her high heels clip clopping on the tiled floor as she makes her way towards them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mrs Diaz.” Neal says, recognition dawning. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh Neal hi, it’s been awhile, how have you been?”  Mrs Diaz says with a smile, the gesture full of warmth. Mrs Diaz had been the social worker who’d dropped him off at the Birch’s all those months ago. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m good thanks.” Neal replies, a new curiosity blooming inside him as it dawns on him that she’d been looking for Emma. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Staying out of trouble I hope.” Mrs Diaz says her gaze turning a little sterner behind the purple rimmed glasses she wore.  Emma’s own eyes were full of curiosity now as she tried to steal glances at him without him noticing, only Neal was paying close attention to her every movement, so he caught each and every one, a ghost of a smirk appearing on his lips every time their eyes met and she would quickly look away again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah you know me Mrs Diaz, I’m a golden boy.” Neal says flashing a smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm I do know you which is why I’m hoping you're here for legitimate reasons and not to engage in any more illegal activity.” Mrs Diaz muses, her tone laced with a warning. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just a good eye huh?” Emma smirks, raising an eyebrow at Neal, her eyes shining with understanding. Neal widens his eyes, cocking his head to the side as he puts on his best innocent expression only to break out into a full blown grin a second later when Emma brings up a hand to muffle her laughter. Mrs Diaz looks between them, eyes narrowing suspiciously. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So Mr Cassidy, how is it you know Miss Swan.” She asks. Emma glances nervously at Neal for a second, as if she’s worried he’s about to drop her in it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh I don’t but if you’re here Mrs Diaz then I suspect I might be getting the chance.”  Neal winks at Emma, making both her and Mrs Diaz roll their eyes, only Emma’s cheeks are starting to turn a rosy red. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Emma’s going to be joining you at the Birch’s.” Mrs Diaz clarifies, confirming what Neal had been suspecting with growing exhilaration the moment he’d seen Mrs Diaz coming around the corner. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re a foster kid as well?” Emma asks, the colours in her eyes flicking so much Neal can’t tell if there are more green or blue in this moment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure am.” Neal nods, a slight grimace accompanying it. There’s a moment of silent understanding that passes between them then, a conversation spoken without words and without even knowing why Neal knows that from this moment on it’s going to be him and her against the world.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Would you like to accompany us back?” Mrs Diaz asks, unknowingly interrupting the moment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure, led the way Mrs Diaz.” Neal says and then gestures at Emma, allowing her to go first. Just as they’re about to exit, Neal suddenly stops and backtracks, telling Mrs Diaz and Emma he’ll catch them up in a second. He catches them up a few minutes later, just as Emma is getting into the car and Mrs Diaz is grabbing something from the boot. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Got you something.” He whispers as he jumps in on the other side, sliding closer to Emma and dangling the item in front of her. Emma’s gaze immediately looks at it, her eyes glazing over with something Neal can’t read. Emma bites her lips and reaches up and takes the item. It’s a key-chain, with a swan on it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You like it?” He asks shyly, suddenly not sure if it was a good idea or not. It had seemed like a good one, when he spotted in as they were leaving. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” She breathes, in a way that seems to stop his own heart from beating. With delicate tenderness Emma traces the outline of the swan with her finger. Neal has a feeling that this might be the first gift she’s ever gotten and something inside him aches. He has a sudden urge to wrap her in his arms and never let go.   </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you?” Emma asks, widening her eyes at him in a gesture that is supposed to convey words as Mrs Diaz opens the door and gets into the car. Neal blinks at her confused for a moment but realisation dawns on him as the engine starts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Legally purchased.” He whispers, just loud enough for Emma to hear him, patting the pocket that contains his wallet, now a few bucks lighter, for emphasis. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So you’re retired then?” She asks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah you’re just worth the money.” Neal replies, to which Emma raises an eyebrow in skepticism. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright and that place has way too many cameras.” he adds, making Emma splutter with laughter and Mrs Diaz peer at them curiously through the front mirror. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe you need a teammate then Clyde?” Emma says,  knocking their shoulders together playfully. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That sounds like a mighty fine idea Bonnie, a mighty fine idea indeed.”  Neal agrees, putting on his best southern drawl and enjoying the way Emma’s giggles reverberate through him. Things were definitely looking up. </span>
</p>
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